Here I argue that the House did not impeach President Trump. The bases for my argument are the bill itself, H.Res.755, and the two Roll Calls that the House took on its articles.

The House did not vote on the only language in H.Res.755 that would impeach the President.

H.Res.775 has three elements: two articles and a preamble. The House voted on and approved the two articles. The votes were Roll Call 695 on Article I and Roll Call 696 on Article II of H.Res.755. But neither one impeaches. They say,

President Trump thus warrants impeachment and trial, removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States.

The above language smears, but does not impeach the President. It declares that he deserves to be impeached, tried, removed and so on. But declaring that he deserves impeachment is not the same as declaring him impeached.

In order to impeach the President, the House would have to vote on the preamble—the only part of H.Res.755 that has language that would impeach:

Resolved, That Donald John Trump, President of the United States, is impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors and that the following articles of impeachment be exhibited to the United States Senate:

But they did not vote on the preamble, or on the entire Resolution. They voted on the articles only, neither of which contains language that would impeach. Ergo, the House did not impeach Trump.

Whether Speaker Pelosi follows the instructions in H.Res.755’s preamble: “that the following articles of impeachment be exhibited to the United States Senate”, or continues to sit on it, the so-called impeachment is void, because the House did not vote on or approve any language in H.Res.755 that would impeach.

Wishing my readers of good will a Merry Christmas.

Photo credit: Ecirphr